


One of us is lying

by embracetheenby



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Canon Lesbian Relationship, F/F, Loss of Trust, No Happy Ending Fest, Romance, Sad Ending, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:20:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26494027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/embracetheenby/pseuds/embracetheenby
Summary: Once upon a time, in a place long forgotten two girls resided in a village with a wood beside it. They spent much of their time together, though not once had they spent time together in the presence of another person as one had an unexplainable fear of other people. The story of how the two girls became friends is quite mundane compared to the rest of this story, but I shall tell it nevertheless so that you might better understand their strange friendship.
Relationships: Original Female Character(s)/Original Female Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Female Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	One of us is lying

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first original story so please be kind.  
> Also this is formatted kinda like a fairy tale.

Once upon a time, in a place long forgotten two girls resided in a village with a wood beside it. They spent much of their time together, though not once had they spent time together in the presence of another person as one had an unexplainable fear of other people. The story of how the two girls became friends is quite mundane compared to the rest of this story, but I shall tell it nevertheless so that you might better understand their strange friendship.

The one called Cecelia had stumbled across the other in a field of wild daisies alongside the village when they were very young, the eldest having just turned six. The girl failed to notice Cecelia approaching, completely focused on her task of creating as many daisy chains as possible until the field ran out of flowers. Cecelia plonked herself down beside the other girl, startling a nearby bumblebee. The girl’s fear of other people had yet to fully develop, so she simply shied away when Cecelia tapped her shoulder. Cecelia stuck out her hand and unfurled it to reveal the crumbled remains of a cookie. She wordlessly held her palm out, offering it to the other girl. The red-haired girl clutched her daisy chains to her chest before slowly reaching her hand out to before quickly pulling back and stuffing the cookie remains into her mouth as though she expected them to be taken away from her. 

Cecelia brushed the crumbs off her hand on her dress and reached for some daisies growing beside her and proceeded to start making daisy chains. Halfway through her second one she looked up and noticed the red-haired girl opposite her watching her warily. Cecelia tilted her head curiously before sticking her hand out to the other girl. “Cecelia” she stated. 

“Layla” the red-haired girl said shyly, timidly shaking the other girl’s hand. No other words were exchanged between the two girls but nevertheless a strange bond had formed and they spent the afternoon in the field making daisy chains until the sun was beginning to set and Cecelia had to return home. 

The girls continued to spend afternoons, and sometimes entire days, in the field. Sometimes they would make daisy chains, other times Cecelia would bring homemade cookies or cake and they would have a little picnic, drinking the clear cool water from a nearby stream they had found one hot summer morning. Other times Layla would bring different coloured ribbons and braid the other girl’s hair, weaving the ribbon through her blonde silky hair. 

Though Layla initially spoke only short sentences, when she spoke at all, after two or three months had passed the two girls would spend hours just laying in the grass, talking and watching the clouds go by. 

When Cecelia was 11 and Layla was 12, Cecelia suggested that the two of them go to the Sunday market together as her mother had requested that she purchase some strawberries in order to make some strawberry tarts. 

In response to the suggestion, the red-haired girl immediately shrank in on herself and hunched her shoulders as a breeze rolled through, disturbing a bird that had hidden in the grass and causing it to fly away into the overcast sky. Cecelia, concerned at her friend’s reaction, reached a hand out in an attempt to comfort the quivering girl. Layla stared straight ahead and refused to speak or move for the next 15 minutes. That was the first and last time Cecelia suggested that they go out together. Now years later, the two of them have still never gone out together anywhere where other people were around. 

Cecelia understood and did not think anything much about it until a series of incidents planted the seeds of doubt in her mind. The first incident happened when Cecelia went out one day to buy some ribbon for a dress that she was planning to make Layla as a birthday gift. The shopkeeper inquired, as shop keepers are wont to do, as to what she planned to use the ribbon for. “Oh, it’s my friend’s birthday soon!” Cecelia replied brightly. “I plan to sew her a dress.” The shopkeeper smiled warmly. Everyone knew everyone as it was a small village so naturally, the shopkeeper inquired as to who the birthday girl was.

“Really, is that so? May I ask whose birthday is coming up, I would like to bake them something.” The shopkeeper took the coins that Cecelia held out on her palm and began to bag the ribbon.

“It’ll be Layla’s 17th birthday this coming Sunday.” Cecelia grinned excitedly. The shopkeeper tilted their head in confusion.

“I’m sorry I’ve drawn a complete blank, could you please describe her for me?” Cecelia took the now bagged ribbon and nodded.

“Brown eyes, red hair about elbow length, freckles, very pretty.” The shopkeeper thought for a moment and then shook their head.

“No, I’m sorry I’m still drawing a blank. The lack of sleep must be getting to me.” 

“Yeah, that must be it” said Cecelia, though she was unconvinced. Cecelia thanked the shopkeeper and started on her way home. Though it could be true that the shopkeeper had simply forgotten, she had known the shopkeeper all her life and they were known for their excellent memory so it was quite odd that they didn’t seem to have any recollection of Layla. She pondered over this for the rest of the day, deciding as she was getting ready for bed to simply brush it off and not think too much about it.

Cecelia would have been able to do just that if it had been the first case of someone not being able to recall having met Layla. It happened again when she was buying fresh strawberries for Layla’s birthday cake and then once again when Cecelia purposely mentioned Layla to the baker to test whether or not anyone knew who Layla was. Each and every time Layla’s name was mentioned Cecelia was met with quizzical glances and not a single person could recall a Layla ever having lived in the village.

Cecelia was very much troubled by this and she had planned to mention it to Layla on her birthday. In the end she decided not to as she didn’t want to ruin the day for Layla.   
Three months after Layla’s birthday passed and Cecelia kept putting off confronting Layla about it. The day came that Cecelia finally worked up the courage to ask Layla about the reasoning behind no one else in the village besides her knew who she was. The day in question was about a month before Cecelia’s birthday and the girls had spent the day in the field where they first met discussing what they would do to celebrate it. The clouds were beginning to roll in and Layla mentioned that the rain would probably start to come down soon and that they should start heading back home. As Cecelia began to gather up the picnic blanket, she turned her head away from Layla and finally confronted her. “Hey, Layla?” Layla hummed in acknowledgment. “How come no one in the village knows who you are?” Layla completely froze up, her hands poised in midair. 

“What do you mean?” She was trying to play it cool but Cecelia could tell something was up.

“Well whenever I mentioned your name, the person I was talking to didn’t even know you existed.”

“Oh well umm…” Layla trailed off and turned away from Cecelia. Cecelia moved so that she was sitting in front of Layla.

“Layla we’re best friends, you can tell me anything.”

Layla sighed in resignation. “It’s about time I told you anyway. Can you close your eyes please, I promise I won’t go anywhere.” Cecelia nodded and closed her eyes. She only had to wait about a minute before she heard Layla say “ok you can open your eyes now.”

Whatever Cecelia had been expecting to see when she opened her eyes it was not what she was actually met with. Where previously Layla had sat was now some kind of mystical creature, with pointed ears where Layla’s round ones had been, grey skin replacing her brown skin and where her flaming red hair had been was now deep green hair. Her eyes, once deep brown and large, now small and black, blinked back at Cecelia.

“L-Layla?” Cecelia stuttered, almost whispering. The creature before her nodded before speaking to her in Layla’s voice.

“I’m not actually human, I’m a wood nymph. I can change my appearance at will. That’s why no one knew who you meant when you mentioned me. On the rare occasion I do go into the village I change my name and appearance depending on who I’m talking too.”

“So, this is what you actually look like then?” Cecelia asked slowly, taking it all in. The wood nymph before her nodded. “Is Layla your real name?” Again, the wood nymph nodded. Cecelia nodded shakily.  
“This doesn’t change anything between us, right?” Layla asked, concerned at her friend’s reaction.

“Doesn’t change anything?!” Cecelia said incredulously. “This changes everything, Layla! I don’t think I can ever trust you again.”

“Cecelia please, we can work through this,” Layla begged. “We can work through this together.”

Cecelia shook her head. “No, we can’t. You’ve lied to me for over 10 years, I can’t trust you again after that. I’m sorry but this is goodbye.” With that Cecelia, with a last sad look at Layla, began to walk back to the village, one hand holding the picnic basket the other wiping away her tears as her she got further and further away from the one person she had loved and trusted the most. 

Layla said nothing as she watched Cecelia walk away and slowly fade away into the distance. She simply sat there in the field as tears streamed down her face. She didn’t move, not even when the rain began to fall. Just sat and cried, but she didn’t regret the all the time she had spent with Cecelia, just wished it could have lasted forever.

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the story!  
> There is another version with a good ending so if you like me to upload that as well as a second chapter let me know!


End file.
